Hiding in Plain Sight?
by Storybookgirl08
Summary: Follows on from Miss Independent? Kate is worrying everyone.Montgomery is running scared.Can Castle and the guys help or is it too late to stop the truth returning to haunt those running from it?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle This story follows on from Miss Independent. Timeline is about halfway through season 3 after knockdown but established Beckett/Castle. Changes made as per reviews, thanks guys. Please read Miss Independent ? It may help. Just so everyone is aware I own nothing of Castle but it is shown in the UK on Alibi. Sorry if there are some slip ups here and a few anglican terms slip in. I live in the UK not the USA.**

**What's Wrong?**

Kate stared in the mirror above the sink as she listened to the water running down the drain. She felt sick as she stared at her reflection. Something was different. She knew it but she had been trying to hide it. There was no way she could let Castle and the others know. She couldn't worry them, not now after she had just got back to work after the fiasco surrounding her dead ex fiance and her own shooting. But she never got sick. It just didn't happen. Even Esposito and Ryan teased her for being sickeningly healthy. Laine joked that her immune system should be bottled and sold. The fact she had fled from the autopsy room fighting not to vomit on the floor debunked that particular myth. Kate Beckett was not indestructable.

"Hey!" Laine smiled as she opened the door of the ladies' bathroom.

"Hi." Kate replied as she stared at the mirror.

"I know our bathrooms here at the morgue are a lot more fancy than the ones you girls have to deal with at the police station but you don't have to spend hours in here admiring them." Laine teased gently as Kate sighed. "Ok, what is it?"

"Laine." Kate warned. The last thing she wanted was a lecture. She had been living with Castle since her apartment had been burnt down and her ex fiance murdered. Laine was the first person she had told that she was in love with the writer. Although now it seemed everyone at the police station already knew.

"Ok, the guy on the slab. Cause of death, gunshot wound to the chest causing hypovolaemia and cardiac arrest. This guy was a police officer once?"

"He was." Kate hadn't told Laine she had been meeting him to get information on her mother's murder. She didn't want to worry her friend, especially after the reaction she had from Castle when he had noticed the blood on her shirt. _"I thought it was you that had been shot_." He had almost whispered as she had stared at him wide eyed. She hadn't said she was afraid it had been him.

"Is that why you and Castle were meeting him?" Laine touched her arm as Kate leant on the sink, fighting another wave of nausea.

"Thank you." Laine raise an eyebrow as she spoke. She knew there was no way Kate would tell her anything she didn't want to. Kate may have been living with Castle, Alexis and Martha for the last five months but she was still intensely private.

"You're welcome. Kate?"

"What?"

"You know you can talk to me yeah? I know this case is hard but you know you can tell me anything?" The petite medical examiner stared at her.

"Yeah." Kate smiled. "Like you telling me about you and a certain Detective Esposito?"

"Oh and you and a certain writer were so open about your relationship?" Laine raised an eyebrow. "Look, Kate. I am really worried about you. You are far too quiet lately. So that means either that hunky writer of yours is wearing you out or something is wrong. Which is it?" Laine turned to her.

"Laine, I am fine." She tried to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Laine nodded. She knew her best friend well enough not to push her any further. Kate stepped back out of the bathroom and headed towards the morgue where Castle was waiting for her. She had a case to solve.

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A/N My second Castle story. Is it worth continuing? Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer : I do not own Castle.**

**Questions?**

Kate walked out of the Ladies' Room as Castle looked up. She had no idea he had been waiting for her outside the autopsy room.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Kate looked up as Castle raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, maybe because I just saw you almost run from the autopsy room towards the bathroom looking more green than Kermit the Frog." He smiled.

"I said I am fine." She snapped as they reached the front door. The fresh air hit Kate like a tonne of bricks as Castle held the door open.

"So who do you think our shooter is?" He watched as she shrugged. "Same guy that shot Raglan?"

"I dunno. Ballistics wont be back until the morning at the earliest. Esposito and Ryan are talking to witnesses but someone knew we were meeting him at the Diner." She paused as they reached the car.

"You want me to drive?" Castle turned to her as she nodded once before handing him the car keys. "Kate are you ok?"

"Fine." She cursed herself for snapping. "Drive. Just drive."

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Alexis yawned as she opened the door to the loft she shared with her father, grandmother and Kate. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had been there. The weekend with her mom had been great but Meredith was not a natural mother.

"Hi!" She yelled before realising no one else was home.

"Welcome home me." She whispered as she threw her bag and purse on the counter before throwing her jacket across the couch. She needed to sleep, but she also needed to read over her paper for English. It was due in the next day so she knew she had to get her paper on the Merchant of Venice in order before she hit the sack. Once the music was blaring from the CD player and the bread in the toaster she knew she would be able to study alot better. Singing along to the music she opened the cupboard where her father kept the tea bags. She knew some caffiene would be needed, but decided better of it. The Camomile tea Kate bought looked so much more appealing. She knew Kate wouldn't mind if she borrowed some so she set about opening the small tin.

"Oh Kate." Her hand flew to her mouth as she realised the tin didn't just contain tea bags. "Oh no, Kate."

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The 12th Precinct wasa hub of activity as Castle and Beckett walked through the doors. Ryan was on the phone and trying to take notes as Montgomery glared at the white board where the case notes and photographs were hung up. Esposito was reading files and talking to Lucy from traffic division as he looked up to see his friends arrive.

"Hey guys."

"Anything?"

"Yeah, I just left the morgue." Kate began. "Laine completed the autopsy on our guy."

"She did?" Esposito couldn't help but smile.

"You know something? I am amazed you thought you guys kept it a secret for more than five minutes." Castle laughed as he sat down.

"I could say the same about a certain writer." Esposito smiled as Castle blushed.

"Cause of death." Kate stood next to the desk, desperately trying to keep the guys on track. "Gunshot would to the chest. He died before his body hit the ground. Now whoever shot him is a skilled marksman. That bullet hit him in the centre of the chest. That isn't a lucky shot. That is someone who knows what they are doing."

"Question is who?" Ryan replaced the phone on his desk.

"And?"

"And I have to go out for a while. The guy from the pharmacy wants to talk." Esposito grabbed his jacket as Ryan stood up.

"You think he saw something?" Kate asked as the men prepared to leave.

"I think he saw more than he wants to tell us."

Kate nodded as she sat down in the seat vacated by Ryan. She didn't want to collapse in a heap in front of the guys. She was still embarrassed at running from the autopsy room. She hated the way Laine had been worried and she hated the way Castle had been looking at her since. She could deal with this on her own. The doctor had said there was nothing to be done until the test results came back. She had to just keep on as normal. That was all that could be done until she knew for certain. There was no point in worrying everyone until then. But the headache and the nausea was beginning to get overwhelming. Kate closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to get the nausea under control. She knew Castle was watching, she always knew.

"Kate."

"I am fine Castle." He raised an eyebrow as he realised her speech was slurred.

"Kate, say that again."

"What?"

"Please." He watched her face intently as she looked up at him.

"I shaid, I am fffine."

"No you are not." He got to his feet and marched to her side.

"Just tired Castle." Kate spoke a little more clearly and smiled. "What do you expect? After last night. I know Alexis and Martha were out but "

"But this has nothing to do with last night. You are pale, nauseated and your speech is slurred. That is nothing to do with last night. Amazing as it was."

"I." She got to her feet, ready to argue the point as the world began swimming around her.

"KATE!" He grabbed her arms as the world fell away from her into darkness.

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Martha was delighted that her play was still getting good reviews. She loved working off Broadway. The cast were all celebrating the success of the play when she had left them in the bar a few blocks away from the theatre. She was still singing as she opened the door to the arpartment.

"Alexis darling!" She smiled as she saw Alexis stood by the kitchen counter.

"Hi." The teenager smiled slightly. Martha immediately knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" She walked across to the normally bubbly teenager. "Sweetheart?"

"I think Kate is ill." She looked up as Martha frowned. "I found these." She held out the small bottle of pills that had been hidden.

"Painkillers? Oh honey I take painkillers when I get one of my heads. Nothing to panic over."

"You don't hide them in the tea caddy. Look, Gramms the painkillers you take are not that strong. These are. These are morphine based. I looked on the net."

"They haven't been opened." Martha frowned. "She clearly hasn't been taking them."

"But why were they prescribed in the first place?"

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Castle closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands as he waited in the small family room of the ER. He hadn't seen Kate since he had watched the paramedics wheel her away. He had no idea what had happened to her.

"Rick?"

"Thanks for coming Laine."

"Not the first time, is it? That you and me have been sat here because of her independent streak." Laine squeezed his arm as she spoke.

"No." He choked the word out as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

"I called Ryan and Esposito. I also tried to call Jim, but no luck there."

"Oh right. I should call Mother, let her know I am not coming home." Castle watched as Laine nodded. He made to get to his feet as the door to the small room opened.

"Mr Castle?"

"Yes." He could feel his pulse racing.

"I'm Dr Morgan, I've been looking after your partner. You may want to sit back down."

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A/N Please review. More soon. xx


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer. I do not own Castle. Does anyone know if there are DVD's available to buy in the UK? I'd love to buy a DVD of Castle but can't seem to find any in the UK.**

**Rude Awakening.**

Kate felt like Hell. Her head ached and the light seemed to hurt her eyes. Then there was the noise. Everything was just so loud. She lay in the bed as still as she could, hoping that if she remained immobile maybe the rest of the world would too. The dull ache in her abdomen and the nausea seemed to persist despite her best efforts.

"Miss Beckett?" She heard an unfamiliar voice and resisted the urge to correct him.

"Yeah."

"You have a visitor. Your partner is here. The doctor is just with him."

"No." Kate shook her head and immediately regretted it. "No, he must not tell Rick anything. Please I want to be the one to tell him."

"Don't worry. I am sure Dr Morris will be descreet. Especially with you in your condition."

"Umm." Kate felt the painkillers in her drip begin to work. Before she knew it she was drifting off to sleep.

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"Well, that told us precisely nothing." Esposito jogged across the rain soaked street towards the parked SUV as Ryan nodded.

"Did you expect it too?"

"Man, the guy calls us. Says he saw what went on. Says he has it all on CCTV."

"I know." Ryan opened the car door as another douwnpour erupted from the sky. "But that guy shot him somehow. You know, it's almost as if whoever is doing this is a trained sniper."

Esposito fell quiet as he jumped into the driver's seat. He was thinking back to a time when life had seemed easier. He had been in the marines for a few years before joining the police. He wondered how his old friend was coping with civillian life.

"I have a friend. Well, he was a colleague. In the FBI now but I know he was working on a case with a sniper involved. I may just give him a call, see if he can shed some light on what we have." He stared out the car window as Ryan drove.

"You think it's the same guy?"

"Dunno." Esposito frowned as he checked the texts on his cell phone. All 11 were from Laine. All stated she needed to talk to him, that Beckett was in the hospital.

"You ok?"

"Beckett is in hospital. Laine and Castle are with her."

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"Kate." Castle spoke quietly as he touched her hand.

"Hey."

"How are you feeling detective?" He smiled slightly as she opened her eyes to look at him.

"I am so sorry." A single tear crept down her face.

"Hey." Castle stood and kissed her cheek as another tear escaped.

"I am so sorry. I should have told you. I was just so scared." Kate touched his face as he nodded.

"I know. It's ok." He didn't want to tell her how he was heartbroken. It was clear she had been unwell for months but she hadn't told him anything.

"You know?"

"About the baby." Castle closed his eyes. "Kate, I wish you had told me. I really do."

"I."

"The doctor said you were bleeding when they brought you in. He said that you have lost our baby. I am so sorry, Kate. I am so sorry." He watched as she rested her free hand on her abdomen. The next thing he knew she had slipped her hand away from his and was staring at the wall in silence. Tears quietly streamed down his face. He hated the way she shut him out. How she was visibly closing down in front of him.

"The doctor." Castle continued as Kate looked anywhere but at him. "He told me the tumor had grown since your last scan but that it looked operable."

"Ok." Kate closed her eyes.

"That you should carry on taking the painkillers and that he would shedule you in for an urgent neurosurgery by the end of the week." Castle watched as she nodded.

"What the hell was he talking about? Tumors? Painkillers. You'd have told me if you had something like that. You would. Wouldn't you?" He watched as she turned to face him.

"I found out two weeks ago." Her voice sounded small, even to her. "I wanted to tell you but then Martha went away and Meredith turned up to visit Alexis. Work just got busier and I just didn't want to worry you." She turned to see Castle nodding.

"I see."

"The baby, I only found out about that three days ago." Kate sighed. "I was only a week late."

"Ok." Castle swallowed hard as the tears threatened to fall. "No more shutting me out Kate, I get that you're scared but so am I."

"I was given painkillers." Kate sighed. "Oromorph and Tylex. I haven't taken any since I found out I was pregnant. Was." She finally allowed the tears to fall as Castle hugged her.

"Shh. Don't cry." He drew imaginary circles on her back as he spoke. "Please Kate. Don't cry."

She shook in his arms as the last of her tears seemed to dry on her cheeks. She kissed Castle's cheek as she pulled back.

"I'm so sorry for hurting you. I am so sorry."

"No." Castle smiled his best charmed smile. "Don't appologise. It's going to be fine, we are going to be fine."

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Across town a man sat on his bed staring out his window. The time was coming when he would have to move on. For now he would sit and wait. It wasn't difficult. He had been waiting for years. He could wait a little longer. Carefully he picked up his rifle and aimed at the door as he heard the familiar foot steps of Captain Montgomery creek on the staircase.

"No time like the present." His Texan accent gave the words a lilt that would be missing if anyone else had said it. "Time Kate Beckett found out the read reason her mom is dead."

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A/N I promise a happier chapter next time. Just please let me know what you think. More reviews=faster update and more romance/happy scenes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle. But I did find a series 2 boxset :D**

**Smoke and Mirrors.**

Ryan drove through the busy New York streets as he as Esposito headed back to the 12th. He was worried about his friend but he knew Kate would hate anyone making a fuss. He briefly wondered if Jim knew she was in hospital. Knowing how Kate liked to protect her father from the harsh realities of what they did.

"I may just swing by the hospital later." He stated as Esposito nodded.

"Beckett just doesn't get sick." He looked out the window of the car as Ryan drove. "Laine sounded real worried. And Laine never really sounds worried."

"You think something happened? Nothing was called in."

"I dunno." Esposito stared out the window. "I just don't know."

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Martha sat on the sofa as she waited for her son to come home. She shook her head. The last time she had waited up for him, he had been the same age as Alexis. He still seemed like a teenager to her, never mind a divorced father. She sighed as she looked at the clock. The later it got the more she thought he wasn't going to come home.

"Gramms."

"Honey, you have school in the morning."

"I know." Alexis sat on the sofa next to her. "Dad and Kate."

"You're worried huh?" She wrapped an arm around her granddaughter.

"A little." Alexis began playing with the dress ring on her hand. "I know he loves her. I mean really loves her. Not like with Gina or Mom."

"Go on?" Martha tilted her head to the side. There were few teenagers as perceptive as her granddaughter. Alexis took a deep breath.

"If Kate is sick. If those tablets we found are for something serious. It'll kill him. You saw how he was when her apartment was burnt down." Alexis stared at the floor as Martha nodded.

"I know." She took the teenager's hand in her own.

"Gramms."

"Now, you listen to me." Martha waited until the young girl looked at her. "Your dad did love Meredith. Why I don't know. Oh I know she's your mother but .." She shrugged her shoulders. "Kate Beckett is different. We both know that. I think she is going to be ok. Alexis, we'll look after them both. Whatever it is that is going on." She held Alexis' hands in her own. "She's tough. She has to be. She works with Richard."

"Gee, thanks Mother." Both turned to face Rick as he walked towards them.

"Where's Kate?"

"Richard. What happened?" Martha stared as her only child sat on the arm chair opposite and rested his head in his hands.

"She's in the hospital. She collapsed at work." He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. His strong, foolhardy partner, his Kate had collapsed in front of him.

"Oh my." Martha held her son's hand. "Are you ok?"

"Honestly Mother? No." He smiled sadly.

"She will be ok? Won't she Dad? I mean." Alexis stared at her father as he tried to smile.

"You know Kate." He shrugged. "She's strong."

"Yeah." Alexis smiled as she watched her father try to put a brave face on for her. She recognised it. It was the same expression he had when he told her that Meredith had left them. Martha remained silent. She knew her son wasn't telling her the whole story and that while Alexis was there he would try to protect her from whatever the truth was. She knew him well enough to know that he'd need her. It didn't matter how big or old her only child was, to her he was still the little boy that cried when Bambi's mother died. She met his gaze for a moment and nodded slightly, relieved when he seemed to understand what she was trying to tell him.

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"Laine? Hi." Ryan poured a coffee as he watched the Medical Examiner walk in the bullring.

"You seen Captain Montgomery?" She leant on Kate's desk as she spoke.

"No." He handed her the mug as he pulled his own from the shelf behind the machine. "Have you seen him?" He turned towards Esposito who slumped in his chair.

"Not since we got back. Something isn't right. I mean think about it."

"What?" Laine turned to her boyfriend.

"Kate is in hospital, no one really knows why. The Captain has gone somewhere without telling anyone. We have the body of an ex police officer in the mortuary and we are still no nearer to finding the killer, who just to make matters worse seems to have had professional training."

"You thinking hitman?" Laine almost chocked on her coffee.

"Sniper."

"Oh." Laine stared at the milky liquid in her mug. "That may explain the precision shooting. How that bullet didn't hit Kate is a miracle. The man was sat right next to her. It's only because he leant forward that the bullet hit him rather than her."

"A miracle or a professional shot."

"Yeah." Ryan sat down. "But why did you want to see the boss?"

"Because." Laine sighed. "I pulled the slug from the guy's chest. Had it run through the system. The make of bullet and the model of gun it was fired one suggests one thing."

"Which is?" Esposito stared at her.

"That the gun that fired the bullet was law enforcement issue."

"A cop killed him?"

"Maybe." Laine sighed. "Maybe you guys have a rogue officer."

"No way." Ryan stared at her.

"Or maybe some psycho out there has got hold of a police issue hand gun." Laine folded her arms as she heard her boyfriend swear.

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"Hi." The doctor walked in the hospital room. "How are we feeling?"

"I have no idea how you are feeling but I think my head is about to explode." Kate closed her eyes as the over cheerful doctor began to grate on her nerves.

"Well, the tumour doesn't appear to be cancerous. That is good news. The other good news is I can get you in to the OR in the next few hours." He smiled as Kate snapped her eyes open.

"The operation? Today?"

"We have a slot in the OR. You are clinically stable. I see no time like the present."

"I have to call someone first. I can't go to theatre until I've spoken to my partner." Kate watched as the doctor nodded.

"Very well." He stepped back towards the door. "Call him, tell him to come to the hospital as soon as possible. We need to get that growth out of your head in short order Ms Beckett. I won't be waiting around for sentiment."

Kate stared at him. She had known she would need an operation. She knew she would be risking her life but had always thought the operation would be elective. That she would have time. Now that Mr Bressington was determined to take her to the OR in the middle of the night she was scared. With slightly shaking hands she dialled the familiar number, hoping that she hadn't woken Alexis and Martha.

"Castle."

"It's me."

"Kate." He paused. "Are you ok? Do you need me?"

"Yes. Always." She sighed as she heard him breathing on the other end of the line. "I'm being taken to neurosurgery tonight. I'm scared Rick." She cursed herself as she spoke. The last thing she wanted to admit to was being afraid.

"I'm on my way." He grabbed his jacket as he spoke. "Wait for me Kate. I'll be there."

"Rick?"

"Yeah?"

"I lo.."

"Don't say it. Kate don't you dare say it now. Tell me when you are out of theatre. I'm on my way."

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A/N More soon. Please review.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle.**

**Letters...**

Castle drove through the darkened New York streets as he tried to get to Beckett before she was taken to theatre. He had no idea why the doctors had insisted she went to theatre in the early hours of the morning and for a moment he wondered if he should call Jim and Laine. He knew if he was Jim Beckett he would want to know what was happening. He hit the steering wheel in frustration. There really wasn't time.

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Laine stared at the ceiling as she thought about her friends. Everyone had been able to see how in love the policewoman and the writer had been from the moment he had walked into their lives. She sighed as she turned on her side. Now Kate was sick. She closed her eyes as she thought about all the time Kate and Castle had wasted. She wanted to scream. It was so unfair that a couple so right for each other should be the last to see it.

"Laine?" Esposito ran a finger along her bare arm.

"Go to sleep." She sighed.

"Hey." He pulled her to him, so that she rested her head on his chest. The steady beat of his heart almost lulled her into a doze as he kissed her hair.

"Go to sleep."

"Laine, stop worrying about her." He knew it was futile. Laine and Beckett were like sisters. They told each other everything. For a moment that thought was slightly disconcerting. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what his girlfriend had told the detective.

"She has a brain tumor."

"Which they are going to fix."

"She wants to come back to work as soon as she can."

"I know." He kissed her again. "She's as tough as they come. I mean I was in the Marines. She's as tough as most of the guys I served with."

"No." Laine sighed. He just didn't get it. "She wants everyone to think that, including Castle."

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The man smiled as Montgomery sat down on the shabby arm chair in the corner.

"Make yourself at home."

"Go." He narrowed his eyes as the balding man in front of him shook his head.

"No can do."

"Go."

"As I say my old friend. A man has died. A woman was murdered over a decade ago, altering the course of her daughter's life. That has to be addressed. As does your part in it."

"I had no part in Johanna's Beckett's death."

"Oh Captain Montgomery, I beg to differ." He smirked as he leant forward. "And you know I am right."

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Castle sprinted through the hospital as he prayed he would get to the Neurosurgical ward in time.

"Kate!" He burst through the door to find an empty bed where the detective should have been. He flooped onto the plastic chair next to it as he realised he was too late. He felt sick. He had been determined to see her. To tell her what he knew she was already aware of. To say the same words he had stopped her saying over the phone. "I screwed up. Again."

It was then he saw the simple white envelope on the bed. His name was written on the front in Kate's handwriting. For a moment he didn't want to open it. A letter while she was in theatre was just too final. Kate Beckett did not leave notes. Emails, text, voicemail. But never a note. He cursed himself as he prised open the envelope.

_"Castle, I know you wanted to see me but the doctor is insisting I go to theatre sooner rather than later. I wanted to wait. I wanted to see you."_ He smiled as he pictured her arguing with the surgeon. Kate had always been able to make her feelings known. _"I also wanted to tell you that I am really sorry I didn't tell you about this tumor. It was almost that if I didn't say it then it wasn't happening. God, Castle. I love you. There I said it. I love you. I never told anyone that before. I mean a guy, obviously I told my mom and dad. I just wanted to see you when I told you._

_This surgery is risky. The tumour in my head is big. It presses on some nerves, thats why my speech sounds a little wierd. They may not be able to get it all. Next time you see me I may be bald. They are going to take it out, well as much as they can. Jeez, I'm rambling. This is why I text. Tell Martha that she has been great. And Alexis is amazing. Considering who her parents are! I'm joking. She is smart and funny with a good heart. You should be incredibly proud of her. I know you are, just make sure she knows._

_Rick, I love you. Just incase I don't get to say it to you again. Don't waste time grieving if this doesn't work out. Look after the others and finish that book. God I wish you were here. If I don't come back from this, move on. Find someone who deserves you._

_Love Kate xx_

Castle closed his eyes as he folded the paper. He refused to believe there was a chance she wouldn't make it through surgery. He placed the letter in his pocket and prayed to a God he wasn't sure he believed in that he would see Kate again and be able to make sure she knew exactly how much he loved her.

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A/N Please review.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer. I do not own Castle.**

**Waiting Game.**

Castle sat in the armchair next to Kate's bed. He was exhausted but he daren't close his eyes. He glanced at the clock every few minutes. Every sound that came from the hospital corridor sounded to him that Kate was being brought back to him. He rested his head back against the chair as he waited for Kate. Before he knew what he was doing the letter was back in his hands as his eyes focused on Kate's hastily scribbled words.

_"I might not make it. Rick, I love you. Move on."_

He shook his head. There was no way he was moving on. There was no way Kate Beckett got replaced just like that. He sighed as he stared at the floor, Kate's words had already been obscured by tears.

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Laine stared at the neon numbers on her alarm clock. She had to be awake and ready to go in three hours but she knew there was no way she was going to get any more sleep. Esposito lay beside her as she turned onto her back.

"Laine? Honey?"

"Didn't mean to wake you, sorry." She yawned as he turned to face her.

"You worried about Beckett?"

"Yeah. And Castle." She looked at Esposito's bare chest. "He has taken this whole thing hard. Real hard."

"I know." He brushed a strand of dark hair away from her face. "This shooting, it feels wrong."

"A man is gunned down in broad daylight. I'd say that is pretty wrong." Laine raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but wrong by our standards. I mean this guy was a cop. I know he was retired but still, he should have had the instincts to know if he was being followed."

"You and Ryan would know if someone was following you?"

"Yeah. Course." He stared at her. "Look, this guy gets shot. In front of Beckett and Castle. It's almost like it was a warning to them."

"A warning?"

"It wouldn't be the first time someone had tried to finish the two of them. But Laine listen to me. I did the digging on this. Castle is an author. Beckett is a cop."

"We know this." Laine was more awake than she had intended.

"The guy that died was a cop. His ex wife was a writer. Lindsey Delorres. Writes all that chick flick stuff you hate."

"All that, and he looked at her with her heaving boosom rubbish." She wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, Ryan and I are going to talk to her in the morning. Just don't tell the Captain."

"Why?"

"I dunno. I just don't feel I can trust him. Not with this." He pulled her to him as she rested a hand on his chest.

"Javier, why? Why can't you trust him?"

"I dunno. Gut instinct. I just think that anything to do with Beckett's mom has to avoid him."

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Castle stirred as he felt a warm hand touch his arm.

"Kate?" His eyes shot open as he realised it wasn't Kate that was touching his arm.

"Mr Castle? I'm Jenny. I am the nurse that will be looking after Kate. She isn't going to be coming back to this room. I've already moved her things." The nurse looked impossibly young. Something about her reminded him of Alexis. He made a mental note to call his daughter as soon as possible. He knew his mother would be worried.

"Where?" His voice sounded horse to his own ears. "What happened?"

"She is in the Recovery Room." Jenny smiled. "She isn't awake yet, wont be for a few hours but they managed to get all the tumor. The only thing is there may be some residual brain damage. Kate may be a little confused when she wakes up."

"Brain damage? Did something go wrong? Did the surgeon make a mistake?" Castle was on his feet.

"No." Jenny sighed. "No he didn't. The tumor was large. A little too large. It pressed agained the brain and skull. The pressure in Kate's head would have been severe. Did she complain of headaches or migraine?"

"No." He shook his head. Kate had never complained of anything.

"The tumor was precancerous. Which is good. It means we got it before it turned to cancer." Jenny smiled slightly. "But it pressed against some pretty important centres in the brain. Like her speech and language centre. And her memory. That might be damaged. She may not remember alot of things."

"She might forget who I am?" The thought filled Castle with dread.

"Maybe." Jenny nodded. "But it may be other things like how to make a coffee, how to butter bread. All things we as adults take for granted. Just be patient with her." Jenny squeezed his arm. "I'll take you to the ward, Neurointensive Care."

Castle nodded and followed her out of the room in a daze.

_Don't forget me Kate. Please remember me, us. Please. _

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Alexis get a grip._ She dragged her hairbrush through her long red hair as she thought about what her Grandmother had said. She knew Kate had made it through surgery. That she was in ICU but that was all she knew. For some reason she couldn't work out what was likely to happen next. Her dad was at the hospital. Gramms was in the living room while the other detectives were trying to get on with their work. Sighing heavily she threw her hairbrush on the bed and made her way to the living room. There was nothing to be done, apart from hope for the best and carry on.

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_God my head hurts. Why is someone talking to me. Let me sleep. For crying out loud Castle, shut up._ Kate screwed her eyes even more tightly closed as she heard Castle talking to her. She wanted to tell him to leave her alone. To go bother Alexis and Martha but something about the tone of his voice stopped her. It was there again. Pain tinged with fear. He was telling her he had found her note. That he loved her. That he was sorry he hadn't got there in time to see her before she went to the OR. It was when he squeezed her hand and begged her to open her eyes and look at him that she finally found the strength to do as he asked.

"Kate. Please."

"Hi." She breathed the word.

"Kate." He smiled at her . "Look at me. Please Kate. I love you. Look at me. Please Kate."

She opened her eyes as she saw him staring at her. Something in her told her how important he was to her. She couldn't think. The pain was too much. Her head throbbed. The bandages covered her head and felt too tight. She gingerly felt for her long brown hair and was relieved when she realised at least some of her hair had been retained.

"Kate?" He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them as she met his gaze and frowned. "Kate?"

"Hi." She swallowed hard. "Sorry, do I know you?"

"I." Castle paused. "Kate." He rested her hand back on her bed, beside her.

"Rick." She smiled. "I remember you. I just don't know how." She sighed as the relief filled his eyes.

"It's a long story."

"I thought it would be. Rick?"

"Yeah? The letter? I meant what I said." She sighed as he kissed her forehead.

"Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up. Sleep."

Kate nodded as she felt her fingers curl around his. For some reason falling asleep with this man staring at her felt right. She knew she loved him. Now she knew how he felt about her. She could sleep forever and be happy just knowing the man she loved was waiting for her.

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A/N Like I'd kill Kate? purleese. I am a hopeless romantic! Please let me know what you think.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle.**

**Wake up call.**

Esposito sat at his desk as Ryan walked towards him carrying two steaming mugs of coffee. Both men were exhausted. The case of the dead ex cop was beginning to get to them both. Ryan placed the mug on the desk as Esposito yawned.

"Laine keeping you awake?"

"What?"

"Sorry." Ryan picked up his coffee. He hadn't slept well in what felt like days and the fact that his partner had suddenly stopped trusting their boss didn't help. "Look, why aren't we going to the Captain with this? He is going to go crazy when he finds out."

"I know." Esposito stared into his coffee mug. "It's just when you think about it whenever we get anything on the murder of Johanna Beckett something happens to Beckett."

"Kate Beckett getting a brain tumour is nothing to do with her mom's murder." Ryan watched as his old friend nodded. "So why not go to the Captain?"

"I just don't trust him. Not with this."

"Esposito." Ryan was beginning to get frustrated with his friend. He knew that the relationship between them and their boss had been strained over the years but this was important. It seemed that the dead man on the mortuary table had been the victim of mistaken identity. The evidence now pointed towards a professional hitman that had killed him but it seemed he had killed him to warn off Kate and Castle. Ryan believed he had to talk to his boss. Montgomery had to know.

"I know what you are saying." He picked up his own mug. "But I just can't trust him. Look, we know someone paid that scum to kill Johanna Beckett and the other victims. We know that cops at the time kept it hidden. Were on the take, that someone was covering for them."

"You can't be serious!" Ryan got to his feet as the rest of the bullpen staff began to arrive. He nodded to one young man as Esposito frowned.

"I wish I wasn't. Man, I really wish I wasn't."

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"Hey." Castle opened his eyes to see Kate staring at him. "You ok?"

"Yeah." She sighed. "I just feel like someone cut something out of my head but apart from that." She smiled slightly as he frowned.

"The nurse said you might forget things."

"Did she?"

"Yeah." He held her gaze. She knew he was important to her. She knew they were in love but how they had met, who he was remained just out of reach. She closed her eyes for a moment as a name danced around her head until it was on the tip of her tongue. Castle kissed her hand as he prayed she would say something, anything that would make him think she had remembered them.

"Oh." Kate frowned.

"Like how to make coffee."

"I buy from the stall outside the station. I don't make it Castle. That machine is useless. I swear the Captain, he used it and has been scarred for life since." She smiled as Castle raised an eyebrow. He loved that machine. It was his pride and joy.

"See? You remembered that."

"I remember you." She squeezed his hand. "But didn't you cheat on me? That's right. Gina."

"We weren't together then." Castle felt the panic begin in his chest. The confusion the nurse had warned him about began to surface and he was certain Kate looked more terrified than he had ever seen her. "Gina is my ex wife. My publisher.

"Yeah." Kate frowned. "I know that."

"Good."

"It just felt like you were cheating." She closed her eyes. For a moment she was unable to believe what she had said. The doctor had warned her that things like that may happen. She may say things she really intended to keep to herself.

"Yeah? Well thats how it felt with you and biker boy."

"Who?"

"Your ex, Josh. The medical guy."

"There was a Josh? Really?" Kate yawned. Castle couldn't help but smile. She had forgotten the one man he had always wanted her to forget.

"Yeah, briefly." He nodded. "Then."

"There was us." She smiled as she tried to stiffle a yawn. He kissed her bandaged forehead as her eyes fluttered closed. "I'll just call the guys and Laine. Let them know you are doing well."

"Ok." She was asleep before he left the room.

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Roy Montgomery had always considered himself to be a good man. A good police officer. Now he was having to reevaluate that opinion of himself. He pulled his collar closer to him as the wind and rain began to whirl around anyone foolish enough to be outside in the bad weather.

"Yes." He snapped as he answered the cell phone that had been ringing in his pocket. "Dr Parish? How can I help you?"

He dodged the oncoming traffic as he headed towards his own car. For a moment he could barely make out what the medical examiner was saying.

"Hold on. Dr Parish. You mean to tell me that the killer is a professional? A sniper?" He snapped the phone shut seconds after Laine had confirmed his last comment. He closed his eyes and cursed. The wind and the rain now long forgotten. It seemed that his team were dangerously close to finding the truth and for the first time in his thrity year career he knew he could never let that happen.

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A/N More soon, please and just so as everyone is clear. This story follows on from Miss Independent? Castle and Beckett are a couple. I am from the UK and occasionally British terminology may seep in. This is more likely when I have been writing in the evening/late at night. Such as with this chapter. Please let me know what you think of the story.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle.**

**A Few Good Men?**

Laine stared at the body on her autopsy table. She shook her head slightly, in all her years as an ME she still hadn't gotused to the futility of the deaths she dealt with. People hurt each other and she had no idea why. The reasons given in court were never enough for her to accept when she was confronted with the remains of what used to be a living, breathing human. She pulled the white sheet over the body as her cell phone began ringing loudly.

"Parish."

"Hey."

"Javier, you ok?" She began pacing the cold steel floor of the autopsy room. The way Esposito had greeted her made her worry. He never called her in the day and he never sounded so worried.

"Laine, are you busy? It's just."

"I'm not busy. I've finished for the day and given my autopsy report to the Captain."

"You spoke to Montgomery?" Eposito glanced across the bullpit as Ryan stood talking to another officer he didnt recognise.

"Yeah." Laine stopped pacing. "Honey? Meet me at my apartment in twenty minutes. I have no idea what is going on but you and I need to talk. All my autopsy reports for the 12th go through either Kate or Captain Montgomery I have no idea why this murder should be any different." Laine hung up the call and headed towards the shower before he had time to answer.

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"Hi."

"Sir?" Kate struggled into a sitting position as her head began to pound mercilessly.

"How are you feeling Detective?" He smiled kindly but there was a nervousness about him Kate hadn't remembered seeing before.

"I think I'm doing ok. The doctor seemed pretty hopeful." She glanced around the room as her boss smiled slightly.

"That's good to know. Oh if you are looking for Castle, I sent him to get some rest. The guy looked all in."

"I keep telling him to go home. Martha and Alexis must be wondering what he looks like." She smiled slightly as the Captain nodded.

"He's been here since you collapsed. Apart from when he was ordered home. You know something?"

"What Sir?"

"Rick Castle is a stubborn son of a " He shook his head. "Not unlike you. You never let anything go, do you?"

"Sir?" Kate watched as he turned his head away. There was something in the way he spoke that had her on full alert. She had trusted the man in front of her with her life on more than one occasion. She had no need to be afraid of him, she had always been able to trust his instincts. From her first day in the 12th Precinct he had been there for her. She had no idea why his presence, his demenour had her on edge.

"You should learn to let some things go. It is sometimes for the best." He stood and walked to the door of her hospital room door. "Look after yourself Kate. Let some things go, you have to learn to let some things go." Kate frowned as he walked away from her. She had no idea what he was talking about but she had an idea she wasn't going like it.

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Ryan sat at his desk and read the statements the eyewitnesses had provided after the murder. The various witnesses had all seen things from their own perspective, which just succeeded in making the case even harder to build. He threw the last piece of A4 paper on the desk as Captain Montgomery walked in his office and slammed the door shut behind him.

"Oh okaay." He muttered as he folded his ankles on the desks in front of him. "Better leave him alone for a while." He picked up the statement a woman had given them. Just like the others Emma Jones insisted she had heard a single gunshot and shattering glass. She had seen very little as she had been too concerned with making sure her three year old son Max was not caught in the cross fire. He shook his head as he realised the one person who may have seen more than any of the others was a three year old child. The only thing was how to get a witness statement from a boy barely out of diapers? He sighed heavily before throwing the paper on his desk. He wanted to talk to Esposito and Beckett. Hell, he'd even run it by Castle but there was no one to talk to. He shook his head, there was nothing he could do until he talked to the others. One look towards the office made him wonder if Esposito was right about their Captain. He sighed heavily before picking up his cell phone and dialling Julie's number. Just for once he needed to hear a friendly voice.

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Martha smiled as she heard the front door slam.

"Alexis?"

"Hi." The teenager dropped her books on the table and threw herself onto the bar stool.

"Oh my!" Martha rested a hand on her chest before walking around the breakfast bar to get a better look at her granddaughter. "What on Earth happened?"

"Nothing."

"That bruise does not look like nothing to me." Martha raised an eyebrow.

"It was an accident." Tears swam in the teenager's eyes as Martha waited for an explanation.

"Some girl said she heard my step mom was in hospital and that she was dying."

"Oh."

"So I said that Kate was not dying." She met her grandmother's gaze. "Because she isn't. Is she?"

"No honey."

"And then she said that she wished she was, that any woman who went with my dad was a skank, just like Ashley was a skank for even looking at me." The words came out in a rush as Martha wondered if Alexis had drawn breath at any point during her outburst.

"That is nonsense."

"I know. So I told her that and then she hit me."

"Who hit you?" Both women turned to see Castle stood in the doorway.

"Richard." Martha shook her head slightly as he walked towards them.

"Alexis. Who hit you?"

"It's nothing. A stupid fight with a stupid girl."

"I am not going to ask you again." He turned her to face him.

"Did you hit her back?" Martha asked.

"No." Alexis shook her head. "Of course I didn't!"

"Well in that case, it is not a fight. It's an assault. You have to tell your father and I."

"And make things worse? No way. Look Dad, just trust me." Alexis jumped off her stool and almost ran towards her bedroom as Martha closed her eyes.

"Some girl was teasing her about Kate being in hospital. Telling her that she was going to die." Castle turned to face his mother as she spoke. "It isn't easy for her you know? She loves that girl too. Don't forget, out of all the girlfriends and daliances you have had you have only ever introduced her to two. Gina and Kate. Now we all know what happened with Gina but anyone with an ounce of sense can see you and Kate are the real thing. It still amazes me you both took so long to see what was clearly obvious to us all. I always thought you were intelligent." Martha watched as her son closed his eyes. "Now, Alexis and Kate get along well and have always been close. Don't expect her to just carry on as normal while all this is going on. It affects everyone who lives in this house. Everyone who loves that girl."

"Mother."

"And I suggest you take a shower, eat something and then get back to the hospital."

"What about Alexis?"

"She needs you. There's no denying that but she needs you in tip top condition, so does Kate. And me for that matter. Richard." Martha waved a hand in the air.

"Mother."

"Oh, don't 'mother' me. I hate seeing you like this. For goodness sake eat something. You are wasting away on that hospital food."

"Yes mother." He smiled as he felt her squeeze his arm.

"You are still my boy Richard. I'm still allowed to worry about you."

"There's no need." He sighed as she shook her head.

"And what would you do if Alexis said that to you?" She raised an eyebrow as the first genuine smile she had seen from her son in days lit up his face.

"Point taken."

"Good." She smiled back slightly. "Now get a shower."

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Laine opened the door to a weary looking Esposito.

"Hi."

"Laine."

"Come in." She stepped back into the hall. "I made lunch. It isn't much." She shrugged her shoulders.

"How did the Captain seem when you called him?"

Laine shrugged her shoulder. "I dunno, the same as ever. Cold. He seemed a little distracted I guess. Why?"

"Something isn't right." He sighed as he sat on the sofa.

"Javier." Laine sat next to him. "Talk to me."

"Laine." He sighed as he felt her hand on his face. "I. Laine."

"Hey." She brushed her thumb along his cheek as his eyes fell closed. "I'm here, talk to me."

"I don't know where to start." He kissed the pad of her thumb as she nodded.

"Take your time."

He held her hand to his cheek as he kissed the sensitive skin of her wrist. She knew there would not be a discussion for a while. He was hurt, confused and terrified. She had never seen him look at her like that before, as if she was the only person in the world that could make everything alright. That she was the only person who could make everything make sense again.

"Laine."

"It's ok." She smiled as she stood up and took his hand. "It's ok." Esposito didn't say another word as she covered his lips with her own.

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"How long?" Kate asked as she saw a familiar figure in the doorway.

"Miss Beckett. You have had major brain surgery. The tumor we removed was the size of a small kiwi fruit."

"I hate kiwi fruit." Castle announced as he walked in the room.

"I know." Kate replied. "When can I go home?"

"We'll see how you are on Friday." The doctor nodded to Castle before he left the room.

"Why a kiwi fruit? I thought tumours were always the size of oranges or melons." He flopped into the chair beside her as Kate smiled.

"I dunno Castle."

"You ok?"

"Stop asking me that." She watched as he raised an eyebrow. "How's Alexis and your mom?"

"Worried about you."

"Oh."

"Alexis even got involved in a fight in school, so you had better get back on your feet."

"She was in a fight? How?"

"I have no idea, she won't tell me. But I know I want her to start at that gym you go to. I want her to be able to look after herself."

"You saying you want your only daughter to box and take karate lessons?" Kate smiled.

"Yeah."

"Ok. I'll take her when I'm out of here. But only if she wants to." Kate watched as he took her hand in his. He couldn't believe his luck.

"Castle." Kate sighed.

"What?"

"What's going on out there? Are the guys any closer to making an arrest? We get any nearer?"

"No." He sighed. "Professional hit. Ryan reckons the guman was a professional. Not a hitman, more of a sniper. Oh Laine called. She's going to visit later." He kissed her chastely on the lips.

"What was that for?"

"Still being you."

Kate smiled warmly. For some reason that was the nicest thing he had ever said to her. He returned the smile as she looked away.

"What is it?" He was suddenly worried.

"The Captain was here earlier."

"I know." Castle frowned as she nodded slightly.

"Something was wrong. The way he was talking to me, was wrong."

"How do you mean?" Castle had never thought he would hear Kate talk like that about her boss. He knew how much she respected him.

"I don't think I can trust him. Not anymore." She met his eyes as Castle sighed. Something in the way she looked at him made him think she was right.

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A/N Please review. There may actually be a bit more plot next time!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle**

**Recovery?**

Laine woke to find herself alone in her own bedroom, the bed still warm from where Esposito had been laying. Sighing heavily she threw the sheets off the bed and called his name. When there was no answer she walked through to the living room where they had been sat not so long ago.

"Hey." She sighed as she sat next to Esposito who stared at his hands. "You ok?"

"I'm sorry Laine."

"What have you got to be sorry for? Being human?" She rested her hand on his bare back. He visibly relaxed under her touch.

"I shouldn't have burdened you with this."

"Javier, listen to me." Laine touched his face so he had to look at her. "You and me, we trust each other right?"

"Of course." He held her gaze.

"So, if you can't tell me things like this, who can you tell?"

"I thought you would say I was crazy. I mean it's Captain Montgomery." He watched as Laine nodded slowly.

"I know it is. But with Beckett in the hospital that leaves you as the senior detective in the precint. That's alot to take on and I know you."

"Laine." He closed his eyes as she touched his face. "You feel responsible for Ryan and the others. You think with Kate out of action then you have to keep an eye on Castle too. You don't, he's old enough and handsome enough to look after himself. And as for Ryan, he aint no rookie."

"I know but if I'm wrong. If the captain has nothing to do with the murders of Johanna Beckett and her colleagues then I don't want to drag him and Beckett down with me." He paused as he felt Laine's hand stop.

"You have to have proof. You need to be able to go to the powers that be with hard evidence that Montgomery was involved in the death of Johanna Beckett. Don't even think about telling Kate about this until you have some hard and fast evidence." He opened his eyes again and nodded.

"Do you believe me?"

"I've known Captain Roy Montgomery since I became an ME here. I've seen good cops, great cops and cops that should not be in the service." She raised an eyebrow. He nodded before standing and grabbing his shirt that had fallen behind the couch earlier.

"Ryan will be wondering where I am."

"I didn't answer your question." She stood and crossed the room to him.

"You don't have to. I get the message."

"No." She stared at him. "No you don't. I think Captain Montgomery is a good man. I don't think he always was. I believe you. I just don't know what we should do about it."

"What? We?"

"Javier, honey. Listen to me. Kate is my best friend. The sister I never had. And as for you." She held his gaze.

"As for me what?"

"You're a clever boy. You work it out." She smiled as he bent to kiss her.

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Castle stared at Kate as he tried to absorb her last words. She had always told him that her captain was one of the good guys. He had no reason to think otherwise.

"I guess it's just me, being tired." Kate shrugged.

"What did he say?" Castle knew better than to ignore Kate's instinct. It had saved both their lives on more than one occasion. He pulled his chair closer to the bed as Kate looked away.

"Nothing really."

"Kate."

"It was just how he said it. That I should learn to let things go. That I was as stubborn as you are."

"I am not stubborn!" Castle frowned.

"No Rick, of course you're not." She smiled. For a moment everything was right in his world. They were teasing and joking with each other again. He hadn't realsied how much he had missed that while she had been ill.

"I am definately not stubborn. Tenacious. Determined, yes. Stubborn no. Definately not."

"Did Gina ever call you stubborn?" Kate watched as he looked aghast.

"No but Meredith did."

"Ah." She rolled her eyes.

"I am not stubborn." Castle seemed more offended by the idea that Kate called him stubborn than the idea that Montgomery was not to be trusted. Kate touched his hand.

"You know something, he was right. I am stubborn and there is something wrong. I have no idea what but I just have a hunch it has something to do with Raglan's murder and the guy at the diner. I mean he was shot right in front of us. That's two ex cops killed right in front of me. Both while we were looking into my Mom's death."

"Kate, you have to get well. You have to concentrate on getting well."

"You said that Ryan and Esposito think we are dealing with a trained killer, a sniper?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So, if Montgomery knows that."

"Kate, don't do this." Castle took her hand in his own. "I don't believe in coincidences either. But the captain? Roy Montgomery? He has been in charge of that department for almost twenty years. If he was corrupt don't you think he would have been caught by now?"

"Not necessarily."

"You believed he was a good man until he came here today."

"I still do." Kate bit her bottom lip. "I want to be wrong, but he was here today and he was scared."

"What do you think he was scared of?" He held her gaze as she took a deep breath.

"Me. I think he was scared of me."

"Maybe he was scared of what happened to you. I know I am. Maybe he thinks we are getting too close. That we are getting into something we just can't deal with." He watched as Kate narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe." She agreed "But that would suggest that he knows what we are getting into."

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The office was the last place he wanted to be. He knew Ryan had gone to talk to an expert in ballistics while Castle was back at the hospital with Kate. Esposito was no where to be seen and he had no idea where his detective was. He picked up the phone on his desk as he thought about everything he had seen and done in the last two decades in charge of the 12th. He loved his department and the team were his second family. He had done alot he was proud of. He had done one thing he would regret until his dying day. Getting himself involved with the death of a woman that had done no harm to anyone was the one thing he had always regretted. The guilt had been eating him up for over a decade. Now her daughter, her only child was one of his best detectives he knew it was only a matter of time until he was found out. He knew that while that would not only destroy his career and most likely end up with him in prison; it would also break her heart. That was something he couldn't stand for. As he placed the phone back on his desk he loosened his tie and stood up. With one last look at the now empty office he turned and walked out of the 12th for what he believed to the last time.

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A/N More soon? Where is Roy going? Will Kate be safe in hospital?


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle. (sorry for delay in updating.)**

**Here With Me?**

Kate had a very strange feeling that she was just laying in a hospital bed waiting for trouble to find her. The visit from Captain Montgomery followed by Ryan and then Castle had her thinking something was going on and she wasn't being told what. Even Martha had been evasive. She stared at the ceiling and swore under her breath before throwing her legs out of bed and grabbing her jeans and t shirt. If noone would tell her what was going on she was just going to have to find out herself.

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"Hey." Castle smiled as Alexis walked in.

"Hey." She sat on the stool next to the breakfast bar and rested her head on her hand.

"What is it?" He watched as his only child shrugged her shoulders. The bruise on her cheek had become more prominant since the day before. "Alexis?"

"It's nothing, daddy."

"Now I know it's something. Come on. Talk to me. I have mint choc chip ice cream." He raised an eyebrow as even the mention of her favourite comfort food failed to raise her spirits.

"It's nothing really."

"You know? You keep saying that and I keep thinking you don't mean it."

"Ashley and I had an argument."

"About what?" He watched as she sighed. "If I can ask?"

"School. He said I over reacted when Jenny said Kate was going to die." She looked at the bowl of ice cream her father had put in front of her.

"She is not going to die." He picked up his own bowl and sat next to her. "You know that. And as for Ashley he should be supporting you, not this Jenny."

"Which is what I said. Dad, she called Kate a skank. And me."

"Well, she is wrong again." He smiled as his daughter met his eyes. "You are smart, intelligent and incredibly beautiful. Just like Kate. Neither of you are skanks. What exactly is a skank?"

"You don't wanna know." She smiled.

"Thanks Castle." Both spun on their stools as Kate closed the front door behind her. "Well, thats not exactly the reaction I was hoping for."

"Kate!" Martha hugged her as Castle did an exellent impression of a goldfish, just as Martha appeared.

"Kate, darling! Welcome home." She airkissed Kate's cheek. "Richard, close your mouth. It's unbecomming."

"I." He shut his mouth as Kate smiled. "What?"

"The doctor said I could come home." She lied as Castle raised an eyebrow. Alexis couldn't help but smile. It seemed Ashley had been wrong. Her family was going to be fine.

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"So." Ryan looked up as little Max hopped onto the couch beside him. "You were with your mom?"

"Yeah." The little blonde boy nodded.

"You like shopping?" He glanced at the child psychologist, Ellie that was sat opposite him.

"Sometimes. Mom takes ages when we go. I get bored."

"What about when you went to the cafe?" He watched as Max handed him a toy train. "Thanks, I like trains."

"Me too. That's a steam train. They had them in England in the old days. My daddy told me." Ryan nodded. Keeping a young child like Max focused was not his strong point. He wasn't used to kids.

"Max? Honey." Ellie watched as the little boy yawned. "You went to the cafe?"

"No, we were going but we didn't go."

"Why was that?"

"Mom got upset when the man was shot." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Did you see the man get shot?" Ryan asked as Max frowned, as if deep in thought.

"No." He shook his head as Ryan sighed heavily. Max had been the one chance they had at a credible eyewitness.

"Mommy grabbed me and hugged me real tight. Like this." He hugged himself "But I saw a man run away. He was real fast!"

"You did?" Ellie smiled. "Can you tell me what he looked like?"

"Old." He frowned before turning to Ryan. "Like you."

Ellie couldn't help but smile as the detective pulled a face. "Anything else? Did he have blonde hair like you?"

"No. Black. And a coat like yours." He touched Ryan's jacket. "He was running really fast."

"Thanks Max." Ryan had a feeling talking to the little boy was the best lead they were going to get.

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"I dunno." Esposito stared at the desk. There had been no sign of the Captain for hours. He knew his wife was worried sick and he had to admit that while he had stopped trusting the man he didn't want anything to happen to him. He listened as Mrs Montgomery asked him to call the moment he heard anything. Sighing heavily he dumped the phone back on his desk. It was going to be a long night and all he really wanted to do was go and see Laine. He picked up the phone once more, he may not be able to see her but he could talk to her.

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"Kate." Castle sat on the couch next to her.

"I'm fine." She curled her legs up underneath her. For a moment it struck him how small she actually was. He had missed having her in the loft but had focused on her getting well. Now she was there next to him he really didn't know what to say.

"You weren't discharged. Kate, talk to me. Alexis and Mother are in bed. It's just me."

"I discharged myself against medical advice. The doctor was not happy." She rested her head on his shoulder as he sighed.

"You should go back to the hospital."

"No one is telling me anything. I need to know what is going on. I need to find out who the gun man was. What was I going to be told about my mom. I need answers Castle." She met his eyes as he nodded.

"I see that." She took a deep breath as he spoke. "And you will get them, but less than a fortnight ago youu had emergency neurosurgery. They cut a tumour out of your head." He touched her long brown hair, relieved that they had only shaved a little off. She still looked like his Kate.

"You don't understand." She made to get up as he rested a hand on her forearm.

"I do. I understand that I nearly lost you. Again. That we lost our baby. And it wasn't some creep with a gun, it was natural. Illness. And I can't protect you from that. And that scares the Hell out of me. You may need answers, but Katherine Beckett, I need you." The words all came out in a rush. Kate wasn't sure that he had even taken a breath. He held her arm tighter as her gaze softened. "I need you."

"I'm here Castle." She sighed as he kissed her cheek. "I'm yours." She kissed him back as she felt his tear escape.

"Don't cry." He wiped a tear away as he kissed her.

"Ok, but."

"No buts, Kate." He rested his forehead on her shoulder as she held him. "Just be here."

"Ok."

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A/N Not a great place to end. I'll update soon, please review.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle.**

**The Third Man.**

Ryan walked away from the police station feeling even more dejected than he had when he had arrived. He knew little Max and his mom had only been trying to help but it didn't feel right having a five year old child as his star witness. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked along, determined that just for a few hours he would forget the case and relax. He hoped his friends and colleagues would be able to do the same.

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Roy stared at the open door in front of him. He knew he was walking into a whole heep of trouble. The same trouble he had walked into as a young man. The death of Johanna Beckett had weighed heavy on his mind for years but he'd be damned if he would have the death of her daughter resting on his shoulders too. He unzipped his bomber jacket as he prepared himself for what was to come. The squeel of tyres in the distance letting him know that if he was going to run now was the time to do it. Only Captain Roy Montgomery of the 12th did not run. Not now. Not ever.

He narrowed his eyes as he saw the thin man emerge from the doorway.

"I told you she was getting too close."

"The girl is barely out of hospital. She aint in no position to find the truth." Roy stared at his companion. "You know that!"

"Do I? I told you to make sure she didn't get out of that hospital. I told you that woman had to be eliminated. The brain thing was a stroke of luck for us. You should have exploited it."

Roy glared at the man as he listened to the words coming out of his mouth. The man actually believed he was able to kill Kate as she lay in her hospital bed. He shook his head sadly as the man walked towards him.

"Look, she is a good cop. You know that and while I am her Captain I can stir her away from us. She never needs to find out." Roy tried to reason with her. "I even allowed that idiot Castle to follow her around, to throw her off the scent."

"How the Hell does that idiot keep her from finding us?" He clicked the safety catch on his gun as Roy raised an eyebrow.

"Johanna Beckett was killed almost thirteen years ago. Kate was 20. It has been her whole reason for becoming a police officer, for getting on the homicide squad but with Castle around she has been too distracted to follow anything to do with her mother's case. He's good for us." Roy hoped the man believed him. He knew Castle should never have been a writer, he was a natural homicide detective. He was exactly like Ryan and Esposito but with a better sense of humor. He also knew that is anything happened to Kate, Richard Edgar Castle would not rest until he found the man who had harmed her. He hoped it didn't come to that. He already had a feeling the hunter was becoming the hunted.

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"Ryan." He answered his cell phone as he stared up at the building opposite the cafe. He was trying to see things from Max's point of view although he knew he should have gone home. Julie was already worried about him.

"Yeah." Laine spoke calmly. "Look, Javier is not answering his cell phone. I can't get hold of Montgomery and the dead man in my freezer is not the man we thought he was."

"What?"

"Did I just not tell you? Ryan, get with the programme."

"Laine, have you spoken to Castle or Beckett?" He turned from the building to face the boarded up window of the cafe. He could feel his heart begin to race. He knew Esposito was planning to take Laine out for a meal. They had been dating almost six months and it was almost her birthday.

"No."

"Call them." He jogged across the road to the car as every possible scenario went through his mind. He just prayed he had an overactive imagination.

#############

"Kate?" Castle smiled slightly as he realised she was sleeping with her head resting against his shoulder. It was later than he had thought it was but he was loathe to make her move. It seemed that she was finally having the sleep that had evaded her for so long. He kissed the top of her head as his cell phone vibrated on the coffee table next to his outstretched legs.

"Yeah?" He answered the small phone as Kate stirred slightly. "Laine, slow down. He whispered. Yes, she's safe. She's right next to me. Yes, Mother and Alexis are asleep in their rooms. What happened? Are you ok? Laine. You are not making any sense." He stood quietly and walked to the other end of the room, desperately trying not to wake Kate. It was clear that his friend was panicking but he had no idea why.

############

Laine paced the small living room of her apartment. She was dressed to kill and in the mood to do just that. She had been trying to get hold of Esposito all evening but he had not been answering her calls. Then there was the fact that no one had seen the Captain for nearly two days. Now Ryan seemed as concerned as her. She explained to Castle how worried she was, how she knew that Esposito didn't trust Montgomery and that she was beginning to think that he had gone after the older man.

"You sure about this?"

"Of course I am not sure about this. I thought Roy was one of the good guys. But the more I think about it the more I am convinced Javier is right." She rolled her eyes as she heard Castle sigh. The sound of a second cell phpne ringing caught his attention as Kate grabbed it before he had a chance to.

"Beckett." Her eyes locked with Castle as she listened to the caller. He had no idea who she was talking to but he didn't like the way the colour drained from her already pale face. He quickly reassured Laine and ended the call before sitting next to Kate on the sofa as she ended the call.

"Who were you talking to?" He watched as her eyes filled with tears.

"I don't know."

"What?"

"He said that Montgomery. That the Captain was the third cop."

"Kate."

"He said that Roy was involved in killing my Mom. He had to be lying. He has to be lying Castle! Do not look at me like that!" She stood and walked to the window.

"Laine is worried about Roy and Esposito. No one has seen Roy for two days, that includes his wife and no one has seen Esposito since earlier tonight. He suspected him. I don't know how or why but he stopped trusting Roy the moment you ended up in hospital." He walked to the window and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Is there any chance, any chance at all that your mystery caller may be right?" Kate turned and met his gaze. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen her best friend, her partner look at her so seriously. The man was clearly as scared and angry as she was.

"That he killed my mother, or at least was complicit in the killing?" Kate hated the words that were coming out of her mouth. She didn't want to think about how or why Roy would do such a thing. She had always looked up to him. Roy had always been her role model and now she had metophorically knocked him off the pedestal she had always had him on.

"Yes." Castle stared at her.

"I think Esposito is in more danger than he knows." She grabbed her jacket from the corner of the sofa. "We have to find him. Call Ryan and Laine."

"Kate."

"Do it, Castle. If Roy is involved then there is every chance Esposito has found something and is going after him on his own. I am not going to stand by and let another person die because of this." She was out the door before Castle could argue. He shook his head and grabbed his car keys. It was going to be a long night.

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A/N Is Laine right to be worried? Is Roy really the third man and who called Kate? Please review.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle. Is anyone reading this? If so please leave a review.**

**Truth?**

Kate stared out of the car window as Castle drove towards the place she had been told Esposito was hiding. She was terrified of what she was going to find but there was no way she was going to let him know that. It was out of the question. She was Katherine Beckett and she didn't get scared of police men who had gone bad. Even if the police officer in question was Roy Montgomery.

"Kate." Castle was still reluctant to be driving her anywhere.

"Don't Castle." She sighed. "You know I'd do this on my own. If you weren't here I would still be doing this."

"I know." He turned the car. "Doesn't mean I have to like it and it doesn't mean I can't say how dangerous this is. Kate, you nearly died."

"I know."

"So, you think you're invincible now? Is that it? You think because you got through neurosurgery you can get through anything. Are you insane?"

"No, maybe and very probably in that order." Kate smiled as Castle shook his head. "Oh come on Castle. It was you that wanted to reopen my Mom's case. You can't ignore the parts that you don't like. The parts that are dangerous." She rested her head on one hand as he watched him slow the car down.

"I know." He suddenly turned serious. "But, this. Kate I never thought we'd find this. Roy Montgomery is a good man. The man that died in front of us at the Diner was a good man. I mean this is crazy. Cops like Montgomery don't turn bad."

"Before my surgery I'd have agreed with you."

"And now?" Castle pulled the car to a halt outside a grocery store that had long since closed for the night.

"Now." Kate unclipped her seatbelt. "Now? I think that maybe just maybe it isn't a case of a good cop turning bad for whatever reason. I think it is more of a case of a bad rookie cop turning good. We haven't known Montgomery for that long. I wasn't much more than a child when my Mom was killed. It wasn't until nearly eight years later that I finally ended up on his team. We have no idea what happened to him in the meantime." Castle nodded as he spoke.

"Esposito still thinks the murderer at the Diner was a sniper. He called an old buddy of his from his days in the Rangers." Castle knew he was changing the subject. "Apparently he works for the FBI, had a case recently where a sniper shot and killed one of his associates. Does that sound familiar to you?"

"Agent Booth? Yeah Esposito told me about him. You think the same man killed the guy at the Diner?"

"Possible?"

"I don't see how. The case they are working on is in Washington DC. We, incase you hadn't noticed are not in DC." She watched as he smiled slightly.

"Really? And I thought my High School teacher was wrong when he said I had no epitude for Geography."

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Laine waited in her apartment as she thought about what was the best course of action. She knew Ryan was on the way and while she was still angry that her date was missing she was relieved at least one detective had answered her call. She had no idea where Esposito was and she had no idea what he was doing. She closed her eyes as her dark curls fell into her face. She would not cry. If nothing else happened she was not going to be the one to start crying. She jumped as the sound of her doorbell rattled her from her thoughts. Before she registered what she was doing she was opening the door to let Ryan in to her home.

"Laine?"

"Have you spoken to him?"

"No." Ryan frowned. It was a rare sight to see Laine upset about anything. He didn't remember when he had last seen her so close to tears.

"He was scared." She looked at her hands. "When he was here last. He was scared. It was like he knew something but he couldn't tell me. He told me as much as he could get away with. As much as was safe to tell me."

"You said the guy in your morgue isn't who we thought he was. What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ryan looked at his friend as she blinked back tears.

"The ID on his body when he came in to me was a driver's licence. The licence had his picture in it and the name of Neil Andrew Evans aged 56, with an address in Michigan. I ran it through the data bases. Usual procedure when there is no way of locating a next of kin. I mean this guy has supposedly been on the Earth for 56 years. Someone has got to miss the guy. Right?"

"Right."

"But no one is missing Neil Andrew Evans, 56 year old former police officer with a history in the armed services. Not the way I thought anyway."

"Laine, let me know when you start making sense."

"Ryan. The real man, the real Neil Evans died in a motorcycle accident in 2003."

"So, who was the guy in the morgue?"

"I have no idea but Kate and Castle were not meeting who they thought they were."

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Roy stared at the other man. He knew that the man with the gun was more than likely the last man he would ever talk to. The last man that would ever see him alive. He knew he should be afraid. That he should probably beg for his life. But he had never been one for begging. He wasn't about to start now.

"You think Kate Beckett is going to leave things as they are? You think she is going to let you get away with killing her mother?" The man laughed as Roy narrowed his eyes.

"I didn't touch Johanna Beckett."

"Now you know that. I know that." The man taunted. "Little Katie doesn't know that."

"You touch her."

"And you wont stop me."

"Leave Katherine Beckett alone."

"Aw, feeling all paternal?" He took a step towards him. "I'll just see if we can remedy that."

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Kate felt her blood run cold as the unmistakable sound of a gunshot blasted through the night air. Castle was as shocked as she was but reacted slower. Before he knew what was happening Kate was running from the car as fast as she could towards the sound of the gunshot.

"Kate!" Castle was almost level with her when he saw Esposito run towards them.

"Too late."

"NO!" Kate stopped as she felt Castle grab her and almost pin her too him. Esposito rested his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"Beckett, Castle." He drew in another breath. "We are too late. I've been tailing this guy for weeks and he still gets away."

"What?" Castle was at a loss.

"I thought you had the same message." He paused as he saw the blank look on Castle's face. "About the Captain being the third man."

"Which is lies by the way." Roy Montgomery walked towards them clutching his left shoulder as the blood poured through his fingers.

"Sir!" Kate almost cried in relief.

"Kate I am not the third cop involved in your mom's death."

"But." Castle touched Kate's back. "And I am sensing a but here."

"But I know who is."

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A/N please review.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle. Is anyone still reading this? Please let me know if you are.**

**Answers at last?**

Castle stared at the coffee in his hand, for a moment he wondered how much caffiene he had to consume before he never had to sleep again. He smiled for a moment, he had to be somewhere near the amount needed. Since Kate had collapsed in the Bullpen he was convinced he had consumed enough to keep him awake well into the next year.

"Dad?"

He looked up as Alexis clad in her pajamas entered the room.

"Hi. You should be asleep."

"I know." She smiled as she brushed her red hair from her eyes. "So should you. Where's Kate? What happened?"

"Asleep. I hope." He smiled at his daughter. It was still difficult not to think of her as the six year old with braids that had corrected his spelling. "It has been a very long night."

"Are you ok?"

"Me?" He smiled. "Alexis, I am always ok."

"No Dad. No you just pretend to be, for me and Gramms." She smiled as he raised an eyebrow.

"That transparent huh?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks." He watched as she yawned. "Back to bed. I will be ok, I promise."

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"Esposito." Montgomery stared as the younger man looked at the floor.

"Sir."

"You were right."

"Huh?" He raised his eyes as he thought about what his boss was telling him. The man currently sat on a gurney with his shoulder heavily bandaged and his suit and tie replaced by a generic hospital gown couldn't have looked less authoratitive if he had tried.

"You were right to dig deeper into the case. Look, it wasn't me. I am not the third man but I am about the right age, the right background and as you probably realised from tonight's little fiasco I know who the third man involved in the deaths of Johanna Beckett and her friends is." He clenched his jaw as Esposito stared at him.

"Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you stop him?"

"I have asked that question thousand times. A million times." He shook his head. "And you know I nearly did. Just as many times."

"Well, Sir?" He stared at the Captain.

"Why didn't I?" Roy sighed. "Truthfully? Because I am a coward. That's why. I know you all think I'm a hard ass by the book cop and to some extent you are right but I got scared and that made me get stupid."

"Scared?"

"At the time I was a rookie. Now, I had been ordered to kill Kate and if necessary Castle to stop the truth coming out." He looked away as Esposito narrowed his eyes.

"Kill Beckett and Castle?"

"They have been watching us for months. Since that scumbag died in my Precint. They know kill Kate and Castle will stop at nothing to find the person that took her out. They knew I may as well put a gun to my own head."

"Castle isn't the only one who would keep looking." Esposito stepped towards him. "I thought you were a dirty cop. I thought that at best you had hidden the person who had ordered the kill and at worst it was you that we had been looking for. Now you tell me that you were set up. Why aren't you telling Kate this? You know she ranks higher than I do. After you she is the most senior detective there."

"I should tell her." He nodded. "But it's her mother."

"And."

"And if I tell her Detective." The sarcasm was clear in his voice. "After she has just had a miscarriage, just had major brain surgery and nearly died I really don't think she'd be in any fit state to deal with the information. And for your information I am well aware of the chain of command in my precint." He snapped as Esposito shook his head.

"Who is the third man? Who is it?"

"Esposito, if I tell you then I am putting you and Laine and the rest of the team in as much danger as I was tonight."

"Save me the sancamonious crap Sir. This is too close to home."

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Kate smiled slightly as she heard Alexis talking to her father in the next room. She had wanted to stay at the hospital to see what happened to the Captain but Laine had promised she would call the moment she knew. Ryan and Esposito would be there for a while and Mrs Montgomery was on her way so when Castle had suggested he take her home she didn't argue too much. She listened to Alexis berate Castle for not taking care of himself and she had to shake her head. She had the same discussion with her father on more than one occasion.

"Hey." She turned her head slightly as Castle walked in the bedroom and crossed the room to her.

"Hey."

"Kate."

"I'm fine, Castle." She propped herself up on one elbow and Castle had to pause for a moment to catch his breath.

"Ryan called. He's going home."

"Ok."

"The doctors say Roy will be fine."

"Thank God." Kate smiled slightly as Castle nodded before running a finger along her bare arm. He swallowed hard, still amazed she was still there. That she hadn't died in surgery. That Roy hadn't done what Ryan had just told him he had been ordered to do.

"Yeah."

"Rick. What is it?" Kate caught his hand in her own. "Rick?"

"Esposito was with Roy for a while before they took him to surgery to remove the bullet. He managed to get some answers."

"Answers?"

"Roy was set up tonight. We were supposed to believe he is the third person involved in your mom's death. He isn't. He just kept quiet when he should have been singing. But he was a young cop. He was scared." Rick watched as tears filled Kate's eyes. He knew she was angry, so was he.

"It wasn't him."

"No."

"Then why did he keep quiet?" Kate was sat up in bed, her knees hugged to her chest as she thought about what Castle was tellling her.

"He was scared."

"Yeah. But who intimidated him enough to scare him for such a long time? Mom died over a decade ago. Who has had a hold on him for nearly 15 years?"

She met his eyes as Castle tried to look away.

"The Mayor."

A/N Anyone reading? Please review?


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle.**

**I have no idea if anyone is reading this. If you are, please review. I think there are about two or maybe three chapters left.**

**Truth at Last.**

Kate stared at Castle as his words began to sink in. It was unthinkable that the Mayor had been involved in the death of her mother. She just couldn't take in the news.

"Are you sure?" She stared at the author as he sighed.

"Yes." He took her hand. "Kate, I am only telling you what I have been told. When your mom died there were two others killed in the same way. You know that. All three were working in the same field. All three were helping a community that were causing too much trouble for a rising politician. He is the third man."

"No." Kate got to her feet and began pacing the room. It was too much to take in. She had no idea what to do. When they had thought Roy Montgomery was the third man she had been devastated but now she was lost. She had no idea how to get the proof they needed to discredit and prosecute the man. Castle watched as she sat on the chair opposite him.

"I am sorry."

"I can't do this." She ran a hand through her long brown hair. "This is too much."

"We don't have to do anything. Not tonight."

"We do nothing and he gets away with murder." Kate narrowed her eyes as she spoke. "I have a duty to do something."

"Kate."

"To my Mom, my dad and as a murder squad detective. Rick, I cannot just leave this." She buried her face in her hands as Castle realised just how frail she still was.

"I know. And we will get all the evidence we need. Ryan and Esposito are with us on this. It isn't just you anymore. There are four of us now. He can't get away from this forever." He stood and knelt down in front of her. "Kate, please."

"I'm just so tired." She met his gaze. "This has been my life for so long. Everytime we get a crumb of information it feels as though my heart is being ripped open. Someone killed my mother. You can't even begin to imagine what that does to you. Rick, it killed a part of me then and everytime we get that bit closer to finding who did it only to hit another dead end another part of me dies again."

"Kate." He pulled her up to her feet. "It's late, there is nothing that we can do tonight. So, bed."

"Castle."

"You need to sleep. I need to sleep. Ryan said Laine would ring if there was any news." He kissed her chastely as she let herself relax against him. He knew that however much they needed it they were very unlikely to get some sleep that night.

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Ryan sat on the sofa at home. He was exhausted. The murder of the man in the diner was spiralling out of control. He rested his head back on the sofa as Julie walked in. She had been worried about him for days, she knew he classed the team as family. Especially Esposito, Laine and Beckett. She sighed as she placedhis coffee on the small table in front of him.

"Kevin." She smiled slightly as he lifted his head.

"Honey."

"Captain Montgomery will be fine." She sat next to him as his arm fell around her shoulders.

"Yeah." He smiled slightly. "He will. It's not him I'm worried about."

"No?"

"Beckett has taken this whole thing real hard." He watched as Julie stared at him. "Esposito has been slogging his guts out."

"So have you."

"Yeah." He closed his eyes as he felt her hand on his chest as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's late. Or real early depending on how you look at it. Come on." She stood up and reached her hand out to him. "Bed."

"Ok." He smiled as he let her pull him to his feet. "You win."

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Laine threw her coat over the back of the chair as she walked in the room. She was scared out of her witts and exhausted. The coffee from the hospital canteen was not enough to keep her awake but the extra caffiene had made her nerves worse than ever. She couldn't resist the urge to glance at her boyfriend.

"Hey." Esposito took his own jacket off.

"You ok? I mean you were with the Captain for a long time." She watched as he closed his eyes.

"Yeah." She stepped closer to him. "Wish I hadn't been."

"What's that mean?" She stared at him as he kept his eyes closed.

"Laine, I'm just tired. Real tired and the Captain told me more than I think I wanted to know."

"Such as?" Laine folded her arms as she stared at him.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow? It doesn't make sense to me at the moment. To be truthful I don't think it ever will." Laine frowned slightly as she watched him. He looked more exhausted than she had ever known him. There was something else instead. She had never known him to be scared but right there as she watched him she could see the fear radiating off him. Slowly she rested her hand on his arm.

"Javier? Come on." She tugged his arm slightly as he sighed. The fight had gone out of him as he followed her towards her bedroom.

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Castle opened his eyes as the ringing cellphone began to get annoying. He hoped Alexis and Martha hadn't been woken by the noise. Kate rolled on her side as he answered the call.

"Castle." He paused as Kate sat up in bed. She watched as he pinched his nose. Something was clearly wrong. She watched as he listened to the caller on the other end of the line. She had no idea who was calling at 3 am in the morning but it was definately not a social call.

"What is it?" Kate stared at him as he placed the phone back on his bedside table.

"Nothing." He smiled slightly as she raised an eyebrow.

"Rick? Talk to me. No more secrets remember." He smiled as he remembered the blazing row they had before she had been shot.

"Ok." He watched as she moved closer to him in bed. "That was the station. It seems that someone tried to shoot the Mayor tonight."

"What!"

"They missed, but the bullet pulled out of the wall matches the one pulled out of our victim." He watched Kate as she looked away, her sleep fogged brain trying to process the information.

"Someone is trying to brush this under the carpet." She hugged her knees to her chest. "I need to know who."

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A/N Last chapter soon.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer I do not own Castle.**

**End of the Line?**

Castle screwed his eyes shut as the eagrly morning sunshine hit his eyes. He didn't want to wake up, not after the night he had. He groaned as he heard Alexis and Martha pottering around in the kitchen, the radio already blaring out pop music that he didn't recognise. He turned over and buried his face in the pillow. It was then he realised he was alone in the bed. Groaning he threw the duvet away and grabbed his clothes before going in search of Kate.

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"Alexis remember your teacher cancelled drama today." Martha handed the teenager a glass of orange juice as Alexis nodded.

"I know Grams. Did you see Kate this morning? She looked kinda angry."

"Angry? What has your father done this time?"

"Nothing." Castle rubbed his eye as he walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Dad."

"Richard." Martha raised an eyebrow.

"Mother." He stole a piece of toast from Martha's plate as Alexis rolled her eyes. "Where's Kate?"

"She was getting ready to go out when I got up." Alexis narrowed her eyes. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah." He lied.

"Yeah as in everything is really ok or yeah as in no but I'm not telling you?" Alexis watched as her father took a step back.

"I think I'll try her cell phone." Martha and Alexis exchanged glances as Castle walked towards his den.

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Kate rested her head on one hand as she stared at the report in front of her. She didn't want to believe that the Mayor was the third man anymore than she had wanted to believe the Captain was implicated. She read Esposito's report again hoping that she would see something there she had missed before.

"Hey."

"Castle." She didn't look up as he took his seat beside her.

"Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Yeah." She lied. "A little."

"Kate." He reached out and took the piece of paper from her. "This is insane."

"How? How is it insane? You said it yourself Castle. The Mayor is the third man. Esposito reckons him and Ryan found something. The man in the morgue isn't who we thought he was and my mom's murderer is still walking round."

"No, no he isn't."

"The man who paid for her to be killed is. Jeez Castle I can't just ignore this."

He nodded as he scanned his eyes over the paper. He knew there was no way she was going to let things lie. He knew she wouldn't be able to back down despite how much danger she may be putting herself in.

"Ok." He dropped the report on the desk. "What do we do?"

"I've applied for a warrent to search his office and his home. Probable cause should do it. I wont hear back from the Judge until 9 am." She bit her lip.

"A warrent?"

"I'm going to find the truth Castle. I've waited too long not to."

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Laine sighed as the computer in front of her bleeped. She still didn't have an accurate identity on the man that had been killed in front of Beckett and Castle. All they knew was the gun that had killed him was definately one used by the Special Forces. She rubbed her neck as she tried to find a match on Interpol's list of missing persons.

"Hey."

"You were going to work." Laine smiled as she felt Esposito kiss her bare neck. "Why are you here?"

"You left your cell phone behind." He handed her the small Nokia as she closed her eyes. "Anything?"

"The victim is still a white male aged 50 -60 killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest. No one has reported a man fitting his description as missing. I keep hitting dead ends. I did find a piece of metal in his left knee, probably left over from a childhood operation. Maybe from surgery to a fracture? Without a name I don't know for certain." She turned to him.

"How many of them are carried out in the US?"

"These days? MUA and K wire? Hundreds, possible thousands." Laine held his gaze. "In those days, not so many but the piece of titanium does have a serial number."

"You are a genius." He smiled as she raised an eyebrow.

"You doubted it?" She smiled as he held her gaze.

"Not for a second. That's one of the reasons I love you." Laine's eyes widened as Esposito realised what he had said. Laine couldn't help the smile that crept along her face.

"Just one of the reasons?"

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Ryan couldn't help but feel nervous as he sat in the car outside the Mayor's private residence. He knew that they were about to open a can or worms that would change everything around them forever. He glanced at Castle who stared stony faced at the dashboard.

"You coming with us?"

"Yeah."

"Ryan, he has been following us around for almost four years. Today is no different."

"I guess." Ryan sighed. "But considering your relationship with the Mayor."

"If it wasn't for him I would never have been allowed to highjack your cases the way I have. I know that but this is bigger than any book deal." He glanced at Kate. He hated the way she narrowed her eyes as her skin seemed to turn almost transulcent in anger.

"Right, lets do this." She was out of the car and in the house before any of the men could react. Seconds later Castle was at her side as she surveyed the ransacked living room.

"I don't believe this." Castle looked around at the files and personal belongings that were strewn everywhere.

"That rat bas."

"He's gone." Esposito stated as all four stared at each other. "He's taken too many personal belongings to be coming back any time soon."

"He was in a kinda rush." Ryan nodded as Kate stared at Castle.

"You know what that means." Castle nodded towards Kate as she nodded her head.

"He knew we were coming. Someone told him."

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	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer Castle does not belong to me.**

**Thank you for taking the time to read and review. This is the final chapter.**

**Epilogue.**

Castle stared at Kate as she rested her hands on her hips and looked around the living room. It was clear the Mayor had left in a hurry. He had no idea what to say or do. The urge to wrap Kate in his arms was growing stronger by the second but he knew she wouldn't appreciate him acting in such an unprofessional way in what was essentially a crime scene.

"His maid said he wasn't here when she arrived at 10." Ryan announced as he walked in the room. "She said he is usually here when she arrives."

"But not today." Castle frowned. "And he left in a hurry. Someone must have warned him."

"I think we established that." Kate closed her eyes as the room fell silent. Minutes passed before anyone said a word. It was only when Esposito could stand the silence no longer that he spoke up.

"If he knew we were coming and someone made an attempt on his life then who told him? Someone told him we were coming here. It wasn't anyone of us so who was it?"

"Roy." Castle spoke quietly as Kate frowned.

"What?"

"Roy. He's still in hospital but he implicated that the Mayor is the third man."

"Yeah." Kate stared at him as the penny began to drop. She hurried out of the room as her team and Castle followed her. "Someone warn Roy. Ryan, you and Esposito get to the hospital. Call his wife, make sure her and the kids are safe."

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Ryan threw the car into the hospital car park as Esposito ended the call to Mrs Montgomery. He was relieved the older woman and her teenage children were fine. He tucked his cell phone back in his pocket as Ryan killed the engine.

"You know this means the Captain is implicated in a crime. He ain't gonna be able to carry on as if nothing happened." Ryan looked at his friend as Esposito nodded.

"Right now I'd settle for him living long enough to deal with the consequences." He opened the car door before running towards the main entrance of the hospital.

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Kate closed her eyes as her headache began to get worse. So much had happened over the last few weeks she had no idea who was lying to her and who was telling the truth. She turned and faced the murder board as she tried to comprehend what had happened to her and her friends. It was too much. She had almost died, lost her baby and been too slow to stop her boss from being injured. She knew Roy had been ordered to kill her but she couldn't believe that he had even considered carrying out the order. Then there was Castle. She knew he had been worried sick about her but she had done nothing but push him away.

"Kate." She smiled slightly as she heard the familiar voice she had come to love.

"Hi."

"Ryan called. Roy is fine. Internal Affairs want to interview him. But only as a witness at the moment and as for the Mayor his passport is missing as is a substantial amount of money. He's not just skipped town. He's skipped the country." He watched as she nodded slowly.

"I know."

"We can call Interpol. Ask Homeland Security to check airports. The FBI may be able to " She stopped him with her fingers on his lips.

"Yes." She sighed. "I have asked Homeland Security to help but they weren't very hopeful. He's gone. I was too slow."

"No Kate." He kissed her fingers as he brought her hand away from his face. "He's running and that in itself makes him guilty. We can do this."

"It's too big for us now." She smiled sadly. "My mom was murdered and that is something that rips my heart open everyday. But I've done. We've done everything we can to bring her killer to court. It's out of our hands now." Tears whelled in her eyes as Castle held her gaze.

"Hey."

"I'm ok." She blinked as the tears began to escape her eyes.

"Well, I'm not." He sighed as he pulled her into his arms. Kate closed her eyes and breathed him in, glad for once that they were alone in the bullpen. She had no idea what would happen next but she knew that the man holding her was always going to be there to pick her back up. She had no idea why he wanted to be with her but she wasn't going to question it. Not when they worked so well together, not when she felt more loved than she ever had before.

"Rick?"

"Yeah." He mumbled into her hair as she held him.

"Can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Take me home." He kissed her hair before stepping back and taking her hand. Silently the couple left the bullpen, neither knowing what was going to face them in the morning.

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A/N Thanks for reading. I may write more Castle in the future. Please leave a final review, even if it is to tell me not to write anymore Castle.


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